Emergency-shackle.



No. 696,136. Patented Mar. 25, I902.

E. F. DIAMOND.

EMERGENCY SHACKLE.

lAppli cation filed Dec. 30, 1901. I N 0 M 0 d e I fi s a" n4: MoronsPEYERS co, Pmuma. wnsumom", w. c.

UNITE TATES ATENT @FFICE.

EDIVARD F. DIAMOND, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

EM ERG ENCY-SHACKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,136, dated March25, 1902.

Application filed December 30, 1901. $erial No. 87,740. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it nuty concern-.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. DIAMOND, a citizen of the United States,residing in Oakland, county of Alameda, State of California,haveinvented an Improvementin Emergency- Shackles; and I hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a device for coup ling cars in case of anemergency, and which I term an emergency-shackle.

It consists of the parts and the construe tions and combinations ofparts'which I will hereinafter describe and claim.

Figure 1 shows the application of the shackles. Fig. 2 is a detachedview of the same.

Oar-couplings often become broken or disabled in use to such an extentthat the coup ling-lugs or other parts cannot be employed for connectingthe cars.

It is the object of my invention to provide a simple means forconnecting cars under such conditions, so that they may continue theirjourney.

I have here shown myinvention as applied to that class of couplings inwhich the drawheads have interlocking knuckles; but it may be applied toany coupling in which the drawhead has an enlarged portion sufficientlyprotuberant for the engagement of theyokes which form a part of myinvention.

A A are yokes made of metal of sufficient size and strength and of suchshape as will fit over the shank or similar portions of drawheads 2 ofthe class in use upon the railway where the device is to be employed. Asshown in the present case, these yokes are approximately rectangular inshape, having a top and two vertical sides, forming forks, which willfit over the draw-head, as above stated. These draw-heads usually havean elevated shoulder 3, and the yokes A drop down over the draw-headshank behind these shoulders or elevations, which thus serve asabutments against whichtlie upper portions of theyokes contact and bywhich they may be prevented from being drawn forward. The lower ends ofthese yokes are enlarged and have holes made through them for thepassage of pins 4. These pins may have heads upon one end and slots forthe reception of keys, as at 5, at the opposite end, and the side armsof the yokes are long enough to extend just below the draw-head shank,so that when in position the pins can be put through and the keys 5 orother means of securing them applied, so as to prevent their beingwithdrawn. A chain is made having the alternately long and short links 6and '7, the object of which is to allow the device to be adjusted tovarying distances which may occur between the yokes when they are inplace, the long and short links allowing for variations in adjustmentwhen the chain has been attached.

The application would then be as follows: The cars being brought asclose together as possible, the yokes are dropped over the drawbars andthe pins 4 pass through the holes in the lower ends, passing beneath thedrawbars, and the lower ends are then drawn toward each other as far asthe configuration of thedraw-heads will allow and the chain previouslyattached to one of the pins. The other end can then be attached to theopposite one either by passing the pin through a link of the chain or byother convenient means, when the device will be in condition for use,and the car may be readily hauled to some more convenient point, or insome cases it may continue the journey to its terminus.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. An emergency-shackle for cars consisting of yokes open at one sideadapted to fit over the draw-heads ofthe cars, pins or rods extendingthrough holes to connect the open sides of the yokes and chainsextending between the pins and connected with each. 7 2. Anemergency-shackle for cars consisting of rectangular yokes having anopen side, holes made through the ends of the side bars, pins or rodsadapted to extend through and connect said ends when the yoke is inplace upon the draw-head and a chain having alternate long and shortlinks whereby it is adjustably fitted to connect the pins of the yokesand complete the coupling.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD F. DIAMOND.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, CHAS. E. TOWNSEND.

